


Sickness

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 20:38:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12755763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: You fall in love with a very sick druid. Requested by Becca.





	Sickness

You fell in love with Evergray the instant you saw him standing in the New Hillcrest town square, talking to his brother and causing a scene. But you'd only sat there on your horse, mute, while the two brothers had talked. Your heart had skipped a beat when he'd asked you to go and fetch his suitcase, and then, when he'd hopped onto the back of your horse, you'd forgotten how to ride and had fumbled the reins, almost dropping them. Fortunately, your horse had known what to do. He'd hummed while you'd ridden along, a tune that you almost recognised. It was the music from Pandoria, that music that seemed to play from nowhere but still got stuck in your head, like in many areas of Jorvik.  
You had explored Pandoria, not staying for too long, and had retrieved the correct shard of Pandorium. After you'd returned, Evergray had taken one look at your pale face and had declared that it was time to rest. Though, not in those words. He said that he'd needed to see someone in Moorland, and that you'd leave tomorrow morning.

After Loretta rides away, you dismount to stand with Evergray.

"What are you doing?" he asks.

"If you're staying the night here, I am too," you say.

"Really?" he asks. "You don't have to, you can go do something else if you want."

"But I want to stay with you," you say, your heart pounding, and you wonder if he can hear how hard it's pounding.

"Alright," says Evergray with a shrug. "Probably a good thing too, I don't know much about this side of Jorvik. The manners and customs are probably completely different. Do you use Jorvik Coins here?"

"No," you say. "Don't worry, I'll pay for the room and anything else."

"Just one room, eh?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. You blush bright red.

"With two beds," you amend. "One room will be cheaper, and..." Evergray laughs.

"Don't worry, I know what you meant," says Evergray. "I was just teasing. Not on the first date."

"D..." Your mouth goes dry, and suddenly, you are painfully aware of how hard you're blushing.

"I know, it's sudden, but when you're as sick as I am, you take things a little faster," says Evergray.

"Then why are we staying the night here?" you ask. "Why didn't we go to Magnus immediately?"

"Two reasons," says Evergray, holding up two fingers. "One: it's getting late, and Dino is insanely hard to navigate at night, especially when I've only got one good eye. And two: you looked exhausted when you got back from Pandoria. And trust me, I know how much of a toll that can take on someone. You spent too long there."

"Sorry," you say. "I got lost."

"Easy to do, don't worry," says Evergray. "I just don't want you getting sick, that's all."

"I feel fine," you say, even though you're swaying on your feet.

"Please don't faint," says Evergray. "I don't have the strength to carry you."

"Then let's get inside," you say, and lead the way over to the inn, your horse walking behind you. It looks tired too, head held low, so you head over to Maya first.

"Woah, are you okay?" asks Maya as you stumble on a small pile of hay.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you say, and then yawn. "Just a bit tired."

"It's okay, I'll put your horse away," says Maya. "And get it fed and watered and groomed and untacked and stuff."

"Thank you," you say, giving her a grateful look, and she smiles as you shuffle over to Jenna, who is in charge of the inn as well as everything else.

"Jenna, I need a room for the night for me and a friend," you say. "With two single beds."

"Uh huh, sure, a friend," says Jenna, raising an eyebrow. You don't have the energy to blush, so you just roll your eyes.

"Single beds," you reiterate, and Jenna just laughs while she gets you the room key.

You head to your room, and Evergray finds you dozing off on one of the beds. He passes a hand over your hair, and you can feel him trembling ever so slightly. His skin carries the too-warm quality of infection, and you can see that there is a purple marking running up his arm, like a scar. Or like a flame.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," says Evergray. "It's just, I don't know how to use your money."

"Okay," you say, yawning as you sit up. You get off the bed and walk over to where you left your money pouch on the little table in the middle of the room. You emoty out a few silver coins and a few blue ones. Evergray sits down opposite you, picking up a coin. "This is a Jorvik Shilling." You push forward a silver coin. "And this is a Star Coin." You hold up a blue one. "Star Coins are worth more than Jorvik Shillings, and I have more of them than I have Jorvik Shillings. Most things have the option to pay with Jorvik Shillings or Star Coins, but some are Star Coins only."

"Uh huh," says Evergray, looking confused and mildly frightened.

"Don't worry, they'll tell you how much," you say. "Food is pretty cheap here too, so you'll probably only need Jorvik Shillings."

"Okay," says Evergray, nodding. "I think I get it. You go and rest, it's the best way to fight illness."

"But I'm not sick," you say. You just feel tired. But Evergray still looks concerned, and takes your hands in his hot ones.

"Rest," says Evergray, looking you in the eyes. Somehow, you aren't blinded by his Pandorian eye.

You fall asleep as soon as you lay down on the bed. You wake to the smell of roasted meat and vegetables, and your mouth begins to water. You can hear the clacking sound of utensils on a plate, and, when you sit up, you see Evergray sitting at the table eating the last of his roast.

"That looks good," you say, walking over to sit opposite him.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, looking at you with unmistakable concern in his eyes.

"Fine," you say. You remember feeling exhausted last time, but not like this. You'd just put it down to the adrenaline crash after being so scared, and after everything that had happened. But, after a rest, you notice the lack of exhaustion.

"Good," says Evergray, nodding.

"How did you go buying dinner?" you ask as you tuck in.

"Fine," he mimics, but you get the sense that there's a story behind it. Evergray is never as fine as he says he is, you know this deep down. A dying man is good at lying, at covering up the awful truth. Just as he covers up the evidence of the Pandorian sickness wracking his body. You wonder what horrors lie beneath his scarf, but you decide to stop wondering in favour of eating.

"It's good that you can eat," says Evergray. "The sickness, it..."

"You ate now," you point out.

"I hope I can keep it down," says Evergray, putting his hand over his stomach. "It was nice when I could put it down to seasickness." Abruptly, tears sting your eyes, and you give a little sob. You've just met this man, you love him, and he's dying. Dying a slow and painful death, unable to enjoy the simple pleasures taken for granted by everyone, things like food and drink and breathing. Things like living pain-free.

"Hey, now, don't cry for me," says Evergray, walking around the table and embracing you. You hug him back, alarmed but not at all surprised to feel the thin body beneath his copious robes.

"But you're dying," you sob. "You're dying, and there's nothing I can do about it!"

"Oh, my sweet one, I accepted that long ago," said Evergray. "The instant I discovered that my blood ran pink. But even if I can't find a cure in time for me, I can use my example and my mistakes to warn others, my condition to test cures." You whimper, aware that you're getting snot and tears over his front but not caring too much.

"How can you live like this?" you ask. "Knowing that at any moment you could die, in pain all the time, unable to do anything."

"I take pleasure in the things I can take pleasure in," said Evergray. "My research. The beautiful countryside of Jorvik. My family, although my brother pretends to hate me. You."

"Me?" you ask, surprised, and your heart slams you out of sadness.

"You have been wonderful company," says Evergray. "A fresh face, new blood, and oh so eager to help. It is wonderful to see that. Though I may be dying, you have made me feel younger than I have in years."

"Really?" you ask, blinking with eyelashes heavy with tears.

"Yes," he says. "Now, eat the rest of your dinner. You'll feel much better when you do."

"Okay," you say, glad that the lump in your throat is gone. And, though your eyes itch from crying, you manage to eat your meal, which is quite good.

The two of you have an early night. Long after the light has been switched out, you lay there in the dark, just staring at Evergray. He seems to glow faintly pink, but the bright Pandorian light is gone from his eye because his eyes are closed. And then pink light fills the room as his eye opens.

"You're still awake," he says. You nod.

"I can't sleep," you say, and you wish for a double bed after all. But he gets out of bed anyway and walks over to you.

"Do you feel sick at all?" he asks, concern in his voice. You shake your head.

"I'm just worried about you," you say. "I... I need to feel close to you." You blush, glad that he can't see it in the dark room.

"Okay," says Evergray. "Pull the sheets back." You're confused, but do as he asks. Evergray climbs over you, gets beneath the covers, and pulls you close to him. You gasp, surprised at his movement and at the heat that he emanates. But you can feel his heart beating strongly against your back. For a sick man, he has a strong pulse.  
You lay there with him, happy in his embrace, and drift off to sleep. He is gone when you awake the next morning, but you don't mind. He'll be back, he's probably just gone to see his friend.


End file.
